I think the house is about as ready as it's going to be for the holidays. Time to move on to shopping, wrapping, mailing, baking and cards! Oh my!
So, here is the rest of the living room, family room and kitchen, starting with the living room.
Here's a different view. The "Happy Tree" is at the right and the "Woodland" tree behind the sofa. Over the back of the sofa is the wonderful quilt I bought from Carole of From My Carolina Home. It's a treasure!
You saw the poinsettias in the last post. Here's what it looks like when you step back a little bit.
My friend Lin gave me the garland I have on this grapevine wreath years ago. It's a favorite!
This is a super-fast centerpiece. Dollar Spot lights in a basket with two Santas, both from my friend Judy, that didn't fit on the tree this year. I had to find a good spot for them!
Love this guy's face!
And then there's the tree. I might return later with some of the ornament favorites but I've written about many of those before and since these posts get a little redundant, What I will say is that I can pretty much tell you where every ornament on that tree came from -- a trip, a gift, a family piece from years past or something I bought because I loved it. To the right are a tall Anna Lee Claus couple. I need to find the baby that goes in her arms. Alas, the turkey that usually tops the tree may or may not get on. (We should have put it on first -- now neither Rick nor I can get to the tree top without causing catastrophe.)
Beside the tree, a small table with one of my favorite Father Christmas folk.
This is new this year.
I picked up the German angels and organ (slightly damaged) for a song on the last day of an estate sale.
A quick look in the kitchen. On these shelves are a mid-century-style Christmas Village I found last year at World Market after Christmas, a "s'more" Christmas tree (top shelf) from friend Lin, a Dollar Tree mug with a bottlebrush tree within, and several of framed Christmas cards from Big Bird Carrol Spinney and his wife Debi, along with a little Big Bird. And of course, Lizzie's treats!
The shelf by the window has more "smalls." I collected the little wooden German ornaments from the time I was a kid (now you see much the same, made in China). The Susan Bridgewater mugs on the middle shelf are from friend Lin and a few Santas and trees finish it off.
In the family room I went with a simple mantel and moved the tree to the left. (Bad blog photographer, leaving the dust rag and my breathing vest in the photo! Real life.)
Here's a closer look. I've had this Santa for ages. Friend Kate gave me the wonderful reindeer at his feet,
On the opposite wall on the dry sink -- another favorite Santa with my favorite photo of Rick. The "wreath" piece above was one I did last year from an Este MacLeod workshop and next to it is a framed Christmas card my dad painted for me. He will have died 30 years ago on December 14, so it feels extra special this year.
The small bookcase backing up to the kitchen gets easy-to-move things so we can use it for buffet on Christmas. (I moved the dining table in here for a change of pace!)
On the right is my one and only lino-cut print! I love lino printing but have learned it might not be my strong suit!
And next to it, two more cards from the Spinneys. Getting to meet and spend time with this wonderful couple was one of the best parts from my work life and it's nice to have them as part of my holiday.
We won't go into the messy bedroom or impossible-to-photograph bathroom! Needless to say, I haven't forgotten those spaces either!
Now, it's time to get back to work.
Baking cookies waits for no one!
Sharing with: Love Your Creativity / Senior Salon PitStop
55 comments:
...I give up, I'll never be able to keep up with you, Merry Christmas!
You do a fabulous job decorating and have collected an interesting variety of holiday decor over the years. I love how you haven't lost your enthusiasm for doing it as so many of us do as we age.
That's an unbelievable job of decorating!
Wow, you do celebrate this time of the year!
Love that the pieces have a meaning!
Plan next week: Christmas Market. Just for sharing the pics of the wonderful lights!
It looks great Jeanie. You have a lot of nice space in your house. And bright rooms too. You reminded me I need to get out my little German angels. Now if I can only remember exactly where I put them-smile. And like you, all my ornaments have a story, and I can remember where and why I have them. I've also started putting some Annalee dolls on my tree. I'll share more in a post one day. Have a great weekend. hugs-Erika
And I forgot to mention the big Annalee dolls you have. They are great, and look perfect next to your tree. I don't think they make big ones like that anymore. Too bad too. hugs again.
Your home looks so festive and pretty.
I love your Santa collection and the cute Anna Lee Claus couple.
The angels with the organ is lovely.
Just beautiful! Take care, have a wonderful weekend.
I'm exhausted just looking through your photos and going on the virtual tour! It must do you in, getting all of that out of storage and finding the perfect spots to put it all (where do the bits and pieces go that have to move out of the way?). But in the end you've created a magical, warm, festive world for yourself and all who visit you this season! Well done, Jeanie! -Jenn
Before covid, our town would hold visitations at Christmas in support of charities. Your house would most certainly have made the cut.
Your home is so beautifully decked out for Christmas; I love that grapevine wreath--did you make the little ornaments for it? You have collected so many charming and old world items lovingly displayed...great job--
thanks for sharing it all with us:))) hugs, julierose
How festive! It's nice that you have a great space to decorate.
We know that you celebrate Christmas, a very nice and beautiful job decorating.
All of this is very nice and pretty. I especially love those little angels and the organ. I wouldn't mind having a set like that myself.
Goodness, you do do a lot of decorating.
You have more patience than me - it would drive me crazy thinking about all the taking down at the end!
You do a great job of bring Christmas to each corner of your home.
Wow, we are not even going to try and compete with you! Those ornaments! All of ours have stories as well. It is so much more meaningful when there is a story behind each of them.
I love that you turned cards into framed art. I've done that with holiday wrapping paper. So fun. Great holiday decorating. And I LOVE all that light that room lets in. Fantastic! Cheers, Ivy.
OMGosh! Your house is so festive and bright! Love the tree with all the sentimental ornaments. Just lovely!! :)
So festive and wonderfully decorated. Amazing effort!
I'm not Christian and don't celebrate Christmas, and yet I feel very enthusiastic about decorations displayed in blogs such as yours. The more decorations, the better.
Wow very festive! You have some great pieces to show. I enjoyed the tour around your Christmas house. You have a lot more space than I do - I’m slowly but surely getting there with the decorating. I don’t remember it taking this long before.
Oh wow, incredible decorations Jeanie!!! Loved all of them. I'm going to come back to take them all in again. You have such a beautiful home and it looks very festive. Happy weekend to you :)
Your home is so festive with Christmas cheer. Love it all...even your rug! Janice
Your decorating is fantastic! I love seeing your hoiday decorations.
Your home is so festive. I love all the trees and Santas.
What a very special Christmas land.
Enjoy the cookie baking.
That, my friend, is a LOT of work!!
I'm not putting out most of my Christmas "tat"this year. Instead I'm focusing on doing some outdoor decor. Now if we could just get those outdoor lights to work....
Wow Your home looks amazing. your tree is fabulous too.
I never decorated much over the years, my husband is Jewish-so he didn't mind too much that I would find and put up a fresh tree in the beginning years of our marriage (over 40 years ago now) I worked for the phone co so I always grabbed the holiday pay for all the holidays-a few years ago I bought a small balsam hill tree with lights-I didn't have the energy to dig that out with ornaments this year. but I do love candles.
I have battery tea lights that I now place on the ledge in the big windows facing the lake, and I found different sizes of chunky candles that have batteries too-so am enjoying those.
I did bake gingerbread boys and girls today-we love gingerbread-happy weekend Kathy
I love all your Christmas touches, Jeanie. I finally downsized all my collected ornaments and let the kids pick what they wanted with all the memories attached to them. I had everything set up on tables and the 4 kids-oldest to youngest picked one at a time in rotation until everything was gone. Now they have the memories to share. My decorating changed this year a bit because of different furniture and the way the house is set up now. lol....it's okay but will need re-arranging after Christmas.
Have a wonderful, wonderful Sunday. I hope to get my Christmas baking done this week. xo Diana
Goodness you have a lot of memories there. Lots of stories I’m sure. Your house looks beautiful and so Christmasy… you put me to shame. Baking waits for me!
That last comment was from me. Sorry. Missy
Wow, what festive and fun decorations, love all your Santas. Thanks for the photo of the quilt, I am amazed at how well it fits your color scheme! Baking indeed doesn't wait, I will be getting started on sugar cookies and cranberry biscotti today. Merry Christmas!
How could anyone not be in the spirit entering your cozy Christmas home..I bet there are some who meander looking at everything:) Bravo! Mrs Claus is you.
Jeanie, I don't believe I've ever seen this view of inside your home. Your living room is very spacious! The decorations are absolutely fantastic, so much detail! And I enjoyed enlarging and taking all the details in. I love your newest angel choir you scored, and that centerpiece with Santas. Yes, he's got a very handsome face. All the memory pieces are so wonderful, your Dad's, Carrol's, and your special friends. A very merry holiday home, indeed!
Jeanie, your Christmas decor is lovely. Sometimes those certain items are much needed things, so we often forget to remove them from photos. Real life like you stated. Have fun baking cookies. Happy Sunday.🎄
Wow, so many wonderful Christmas things. It must have taken you days to put them up, not to think about packing them again after Christmas. It looks lovely. I do love Christmas, but my own decorations are spare in comparison to yours. I did dress the Christmas tree yesterday so happy about that. It gives us light at this dark time of the year. Thank you for sharing.
Jeanie, Your home is so beautifully decorated for Christmas! With some of your health issues, I’m surprised you did so much. I’ve cut back just a bit, but as long as I feel up to it, I’ll continue putting up the one big tree and whatever else I can do. I love your Santa’s, too! I’ve decided to bring mine out next year because I haven’t seen them in quite some time. I’ll be joining you in baking this coming week.
Wow! Well done with all of your lovely Christmas decorations, it all looks so festive.
Happy baking, I'm sure the wonderful smells and aromas from the kitchen will be wonderful.
All the best Jan
I'm with Tom!
Something I love about your approach to decorating is that the things you put up all carry so many stories and so many memories with them. Makes it seem like a more valuable ritual than trying to match one's home decor to something one sees on Pinterest...
Jeanie, you have quite a collection of lovely Christmas decorations. Your new Father Christmas is darling and the German organ is beautiful! Happy baking to you! I made a batch of cookie dough today that I'll bake off as Christmas day approaches. I don't trust us to bake sooner!
Your home is so wonderfully decked out for Christmas!
The trees look absolutely stunning 🎄🌟💫
Such a festive and beautiful sight!
Hugs and blessings, Jeanie
Your home is so Christmasy! You put me to shame. It's warm and cozy too. Merry Christmas!
Wow Jeanie, you've been busy!!Everything looks so festive and I spotted my coasters on your table! Enjoy your shopping and baking, I've got to work on getting my cards out too~
Jenna
I love your Christmas decorations and the history with them. I love how you incorporate all of the special/sentimental things.
The rooms in your home look comfy and festive. So far only the Christmas tree has been decorated here in our home. I take my time and appreciate each decoration, some of them I've inherited from my Mum and others were made when the grandchildren were young. I have been sending greetings and posting cards today. I know you'll enjoy more seasonal preparations this week. All the best, Linda.
Your home is so cozy and full of Christmas Cheer! I love your sentimental thoughts with your decor as well! That's what Christmas is all about!
Merry December to you dear Jeannie!!
I love how festive and cozy your house looks! It's such a visual delight! This is such a cheery time of year. I am glad that Christmas coincides with winter in our hemisphere. We need the decorations and cheer - badly!
Jeanie, your Christmas decorations look so nice, and I'm always impressed with all the trees you have. It's time consuming to put up one tree let alone three! I've always loved your fireplace and mantel, it's charming. Your main tree really is pretty. The colored lights just make me smile, as I don't see them that much anymore. But they will forever be on my tree if I have one that particular year. The quilt your friend made looks cozy and welcoming draping over your couch. And I like how you put the simple garland across your hutch. I think it adds a special touch. Thanks for sharing Christmas in your home, Jeanie. It was wonderful.
~Sheri
My, your house looks wonderful, Jeanie!
Glimpses of wonder everywhere you look.
I love your Santa Clauses.
Congratulations on your Gypsy Caravan store.
Your home looks so festive for Christmas, Jeanie. I love it! I also finished decorating this week, and we had snow, which really put me in the Christmas spirit so I wrote out all my Christmas cards. Gifts for the grandchildren this year will be experiences and not things, and they are already planned and paid for. I now have to shop for some last-minute food items for our holiday menu, bake a bit, and enjoy some festivities. I hope you'll also get to enjoy some fun activities as you finish preparing!
It's so full of enchantment!!
I loved your decorating tour!! Maybe I will do one as well! Everything was so lovely!!
Jeanie: Your home looks so festive and I love that all you do has great meaning and memories attached. If you go back and read my comment to you on my blog, you will see that I messed up Rick's name. As I said, old minds work in mysterious ways. Have a wonderful Christmas, my friend..xxoJudy
You really have a full blown Christmas in your house. How long did it take to put it all up? I love ornaments that have a special memory. I have a few of those as well.
Wonderful to revisit memories and remember old friends at this time of year! you have some amazing ornaments!
Jeanie, it all looks fabulous. You have been busy making your home inviting and lovely for Christmas. I enjoy seeing your collections and memories shared. I am so sorry I am late visiting with you, my friend!
Post a Comment